Name Change?

I should have known that the name "Elisha" wouldn't go over well.   I was fooled to think that people were familiar with the biblical character, and even more fooled to think they would pronounce it the same way I do.  At the doctor's office, he is "Alicia."  They even marked "F" for female on his chart.  Family members and church members blend "Elijah" and "Elisha," which comes out something like "Elij-sha."   Rusty and I are already a little frustrated with correcting folks, and we're sure he might feel the same way when he gets older.  Now, we call him Lisha (which seems pretty girly to write), but that doesn't help.  We've considered going ahead and calling him Barrett or Rett, but it seems weird to change his name.  What do you think?  

Preparing for Christmas

I know, I know, I've not posted in a long time, but I've been without internet.  Right now, I'm borrowing a computer and the internet (kind of).  But, I thought while it was available I should add something. 

Caleigh starting her names of Jesus Christmas tree.  Each day we add another picture to symbolize a name of Christ.  I got the idea from Lettie Kirkpatrick, a local speaker and writer, who happens to be our friend's mother.

Elisha looking sweet under the tree.  He only almost pulled it down once.

Rusty just had surgery, and Elisha had rosiola and a double ear infection, we discovered after two trips to the doctor and a trip to the emergency room.  

Aren't they cute all laid up?

Christmas pictures never go over well at our house.  Don't be too disappointed when you get one.  In this attempt to capture our children being especially cute, doesn't Caleigh have the perfect pout face and Elisha have the perfect whine face? 

This is more realistic, the not-looking face and the scream face.  It would only be more realistic if Caleigh was jerking the book from Elisha's hands.

Caleigh was so excited to make sugar cookies and use the cookie cutters and sprinkles.  Even though I didn't make homemade cookies, I hope to teach her to enjoy cooking since she is really starting to want to help in the kitchen.

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL, GOD-BLESSED, CHRIST-CENTERED CHRISTMAS!

Wrapping Up July

Elisha joining Caleigh in the bed for a story.  Of course, she was more excited about it than he was.  Doesn't he look a little scared?  What will she do next? 

Aunt Katie teaching Caleigh to Cockroach.   Caleigh loves to practice her new dance move.  She is planning to use it at Granny's birthday during the Langford version of "My Girl" /  "Granny."

Poppa with Elisha and Caleigh

Daddy Walt with Elisha.  Check out the tan on those legs.  All for ole Peggy.

Elisha is decked out for church, plaid shoes and all,  reclining in the bean bag.

A Few Thoughts

I haven't used our blog for this purpose yet, but I thought I might share a few of my thoughts with you on some topics I have discussed in the past few years.   Maybe one day I will have the opportunity to use these "comments" as a springboard for more thoughtful prose.  

Disclaimer:  I take full responsibility for my comment.   After rethinking any given issue, I will take the privilege of revoking previous statements.   My comments may not reflect/accurately reflect the opinions of other members of my household.  

An easier life....Is that what we're all striving for?  Do we hope that after this stage of life or season things will get better?  After college?  After the first few years of marriage?  After the first year on the new job?  After the kids get out of diapers?  After the kids move out?  After we retire?  The question though is why do we all expect or desire things to get better.  Isn't this possibly  a modern or modern American ideal?  The more we have and the bigger it is and the quicker it works - all that is going to make life easier. If we just keeping working at "it," "it" is going to get easier.  Eventually, we will manufacture a life that is easy to operate.  Everything will run just the way we want it to run,  and we will be happy.  

Having discussed some characters from Wendell Berry's fiction with Rusty, I want to conjecture that our great-grandparents and those before them accepted that life was going to be hard.  They may have strove for a better life, working hard to provide for their families, but did they strive for an easier life?  I think they knew providing for their families and canning and raising babies and growing old and dealing with grief were all going to be hard, so they naturally weren't set up for so much disappointment.  But, when we want everything to be easy and make us happy, we are naturally going to be disappointed because if we've lived for any time at all, we know life is going to be hard and every season is going to have its own set of challenges.

As believers, we have to ask if hoping for life to get easier is biblical.  Based on my reading of the Bible, I seem to think that we shouldn't expect life to get any easier until Jesus' returns.  

"Count it all joy, brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds..." James 1:7

"a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..." Eccl. 3:4

"If they persecute me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20

"...provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Rom. 8:17

If this is the case, are we setting our minds on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, or overall excellent (Phil. 4:8) by striving for an easier life?  Are we learning to be content in whatever situation we are in (Phil. 4:11) by striving to make life easier?  As you read this, you must realize that I'm not negating the many blessings of walking with the Lord - those things that come with being filled with the Spirit - love and joy and peace... I'm only trying to encourage us not to wish for the easier life according to the world's standards.   Our hope should be set in what is ahead.

Women Bible Studies?

Does anyone have suggestions for a good woman's bible study?  I'm looking for something that anyone, new or old Christian, would benefit from, and I won't to stay away from video studies.  I would rather choose something I know other people enjoyed.

A Little Fun in the Langford House

Caleigh and Elisha Riding the Horse

Caleigh and Elisha after Horsey Ride

Caleigh's Sticker Face

Mysterious Artwork 

Elisha Attempting Tummy Time

Caleigh joining Elisha for Tummy Time

Caleigh Riding the Horse

Caleigh Playing Dress-Up

Elisha wearing Caleigh's Flower Sunglasses

Elisha's Pretty Little Face

Elisha Grinning

Gardening

Picked Beans

Broken Beans

Cooked Beans

Fried Squash 

Yes, we are gardening.  Rusty wants to go agrarian or something.  He is planning to turn our whole yard into a garden or farm.   Who knows?...  But anyway, we have successfully grown and cooked green beans and squash.  We hope to get some corn, tomatoes, and okra too, though our efforts haven't been totally fruitful.  This process really helps you understand all those verses about trusting in the Lord to water and bring forth the crop.  Growing a garden should help us live healthier lives, but all the grease we have to use to fry it isn't helping.  

Big Girl Bed

We have moved Caleigh to her big girl bed.  We worried she would try to escape, but in a week, she has only gotten up by herself once.  Most of the time, she yells, "Mommy," and then when I get in there, she says, "Caleigh get down now."  She hasn't gotten used to sleeping under sheets, and sometimes she wants to cover up with the blanket from brother's bed.  Now we're just waiting for Elisha to sleep through the night consistently before we put him in the bedroom with her.  He is sleeping between 8 and 10 hours every night, but that means he is waking up at about 6:00, and I really don't want Caleigh to start waking up then.

The Rest of June

The first walk in the double stroller.  Elisha looks like he is about to ride a roller coaster that goes upside down.

Elisha airplaning between my knees

Caleigh and Bunny Foo-Foo sitting on top of the couch at Grandma's and Geez-paw's

Aunt Meig calming a fussy Elisha

This marks the end of colic, I hope and pray.  Life has been much better the last week or so.  

Praise the Lord.

Playground Recovery from Doctor Visit

We took Caleigh and Elisha both to the doctor for well checkups.  Caleigh's two year.  Elisha's two month. They both had shots.  Caleigh didn't shed a tear, and Elisha screamed bloody murder for about 10 seconds.  Caleigh was in the 95% for her height and 70% for her weight.  Elisha was in the 85% for weight and 75% for height.  I assume that Caleigh will top out early and won't grow any more like I did.  And thankfully, everyone can now rest assured that Elisha is eating enough since he is gaining a great deal of weight.  They said I feed him too much.  I'm not sure how I'm suppose to correct that though since he nurses.  

 

Caleigh running across the playground

Rusty helped Caleigh climb the BIG slide.  By the end of our visit, she was climbing it by herself even if she had to topple over a few big boys to go down it.  

Mommy and Caleigh swinging on the big swings

Daddy and Caleigh riding the dinosaur

Elisha sleeping off four shots.  Only later did he go into a thirty minute scream.

Another Sunday Morning

Caleigh is wearing her bee outfit Nana bought her for her b-day.  She has her Buzz lazer gun and brother's bottle.  I guess she was ready to shoot all the LGMs in Sunday School while feeding a baby.  Elisha is prepped out in his Baby Gap stripped shirt.  He couldn't wear his pink shirt. Doesn't he look so grown up?

Caleigh's Second Birthday - Fish Party

I've always wanted birthdays to be special and memorable for my children, so I planned Caleigh a fish party because fish are one of her current obsessions.  I realize she probably won't remember this party, but she will be able to look back at the pictures and videos.   With both of our families and our church family, the guest list reached over seventy people.  When I started planning, I didn't realize I was planning such a big blowout. Thankfully, I enlisted the help of my family.  My dad and granddad fried fish, both grandmothers helped prepare side dishes, and my mom and aunt came and helped me clean the house pre-party.  Right as the party started it began to hail and rain, but it stopped shortly.  We ended up with at least fifty people, and about fifteen of them were children under twelve.  After the fish fry, the kids dug for plastic fish in Caleigh's new sandbox.  Then, they went "fishing" to win gummy worms, saltwater taffy, and fish crackers.  They also swam in the little pool, which Caleigh later walked through in her dress, and the big kids played with water balloons.  All I can say is it seemed everyone had fun (making a big mess).   

 I made Caleigh a rainbow fish birthday cake and cupcakes in ice cream cones, both easy and cheap (typical of me). 

Granna helped take care of Elisha.  He didn't have as much fun as the other kids though.

 Caleigh wanted to play with ever gift right after she opened it.  I wondered if we would ever get through the present time.  Thankfully, everyone was patient with her and her whining.

If Merriwether and Annika (Kikka as Caleigh says) had not helped, we might still be opening presents.  We should have offered to give them a few of the presents because, as Bob said as she opened her presents, we're working on another yard sale.

*Great Gift Idea*

I Love My Bible by Deborah Anderson

It's perfect for teaching children about Scripture and its importance.  

More Wheeler

A dog...something I never, never wanted.  He escapes...a lot.  He nibbles at our toes, eats at our legs, and pretty much drives us crazy.  He likes to do whatever we are doing, including swimming in the pool.  Caleigh and I have given up playing outside several times while swinging, drawing with chalk, and playing in the sandbox because he want stop attacking us. We should have gotten an old, lazy dog. 

Another Caleigh Disaster

Again I say, how she does it I don't know.   On Sunday, we were getting ready to go to Dalton to eat lunch with my dad and granddad for Father's Day.   I was trying to get Elisha ready, and Rusty had left Caleigh in the van playing.   When he went to get her, he found that she had found my mascara.  It was all over her pretty watermelon dress, her lands, and her face.  She had attempted to put it on her eyes like Mommy does.  We got her cleaned up, and the mascara did come out of her dress, thank the Lord.  

Our New Dog Wheeler

Caleigh blowing out a candle on a Little Debbie for her actual second birthday

Wheeler being lazy 

Caleigh, Grandma, and Wheeler

Rusty convinced me to get Caleigh a dog for her second birthday.  So, we ended up with a six week old beagle we named Wheeler.  Caleigh calls him Babu though.   Why I don't know.  I can't believe I'll be taking care of it as well.  Caleigh already loves to get on to it, and it loves trying to escape its pen and yelping in the middle of the night.